Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J T Gandour.
24 native speakers of American English made direct ratings of dissimilarity between 13 pitch patterns superimposed on a synthetic speech-like syllable. A multidimensional scaling analysis of the data revealed four perceptual dimensions, which were interpreted as average pitch, endpoint, extreme endpoint and length. The relative importance of these dimensions varied across individual subjects.
Multivalued features have generally not been permitted on the classificatory level of representation by generative phonologists. It is found necessary, however, to posit a multivalued scalar feature "glottal width" on the classificatory level of representation in order to provide a satisfactory explanation of the diachronic tone splits conditioned by the phonation type of the syllable-initial consonants among the languages and dialects of the Tai language family in Southeast Asia. The feature "glottal width" consists of a lineraly ordered set of terms along a single physical continuum that extends from the widest open position of the glottis to the fully closed position (i.e. glottal stop). Other proposed sets of laryngeal features are tested against this evidence and found to be inadequate. A binary feature "vibrating" is also proposed within this theoretical framework.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.